1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to rotor braking devices; more particularly to spinning-reel rotor braking devices for braking the rotor, fitted rotatively to the spinning-reel reel body, in response to pivoting of the bail arm that pivots between line-winding and line-releasing postures.
2. Description of Related Art
In general spinning reel rotors are provided with a bail arm for guiding fishing line to the spool. The bail arm can assume a line-winding posture, in which fishing line is guided to the peripheral surface of the spool when fishing line is being taken up, and a line-releasing posture, in which the bail arm is flipped over from the line-winding posture so that it poses no hindrance when fishing line is rolled off the spool. The rotor is provided with a bail tripping device, which keeps the bail arm in the line-winding posture and the line-releasing posture, and restores the bail arm from the line-releasing posture to the line-winding posture when the rotor rotates in line-winding direction.
As a conventional bail tripping device, the device disclosed in JP H10-4839 is known. This bail tripping device includes: a toggle spring, mounted to the rotor, whose front end is interlocked with the bail arm in the vicinity of its pivotal center; a shifting member having a front end that interlocks with the bail arm in the vicinity of its pivotal center, and a base end that shifts back and forth with respect to the reel unit; and a switching protrusion provided on the reel unit for coming into contact with the shifting member. The toggle spring toggles and biases the bail arm into two positions, and keeps the bail arm in these two positions. The toggle spring includes a coil spring accommodated in a recess formed in the rotor arm of the rotor, and a linking member that is subject to the spring force of the coil spring. The linking member includes a shaft member against which the coil spring presses, and disposed at the tip of the shaft member, a link that is pivotable over a predetermined range. The tip of the link is interlocked with the bail arm near the pivot center of the bail arm.
The shifting member recedes to a position in which it contacts a switching protrusion when the bail arm is pivoted to the line-releasing posture. Then, when the rotor is rotated in the direction taking up line, it contacts the shifting protrusion and is advanced forward, thereby compressing the toggle spring, which returns the bail arm to the line-winding posture.
In a bail tripping device with this configuration, the shifting member recedes to a position in which it contacts the switching protrusion when the bail arm is pivoted into the line-releasing posture. In this situation, the shaft member recedes with respect to the toggle spring while the link pivots until the dead point is passed, and when the dead point is passed, the shaft member is urged forward by the coil spring. Then, when the rotor rotates in the line-winding direction, the shifting member contacts the switching protrusion and is advanced forward. Due to this forward advancement, the link pivots and the shaft member recedes until the dead point is passed. Then, when the dead point is passed, the link advances forward and restores the bail arm to the line-winding posture.
When fishing line is reeled out by casting a spinning reel thus, reverse rotation of the rotor is blocked; and after catching fishing line with the thick of the index finger, the bail arm is tripped into the line-releasing posture. At this time the rotor is turned to bring the line roller at the one junction of the bail arm and the bail up toward the fishing rod, to make it easy to catch fishing line with the finger. Then, in the course of flinging down the fishing rod, the index finger is released from fishing line, and the bait and terminal tackles"" arrival on the water is awaited. After the bait and terminal tackles have hit the water and the bait and terminal tackles have submerged suitably, the handle is reeled slightly and the bail tripping mechanism returns the bail arm into the line-winding posture.
When fishing line reels out following a cast or under the weight of the bait and terminal tackles during trolling, an operation known as xe2x80x9cfeatheringxe2x80x9d is carried out to keep the line from getting out of control: After the bail arm has been tripped into the line-releasing posture, the leading rim of the spool is pressed with the tip of the index finger, and the thick of the index finger is brought into contact with fishing line. At the time, the rotor is turned into a position in which the bail arm does not get in the way.
In conventional spinning reels, when the bail arm is in the line-releasing posture and reverse rotation is blocked by a reverse rotation check mechanism, the rotor will not rotate in the direction rolling off line. However, sometimes the rotor is rotated in the line-winding direction. In recent years, rotors have become lighter and easier to turn, improving the rotational balance, in order to increase the winding efficiency. Therefore, such a spinning reel with improved rotational balance can be rotated easily in the line-winding direction. When the rotor is turned, the rotational orientation of the rotor tends to shift easily when the rotor has been rotated into the rotational orientation suitable for casting or feathering.
In order to prevent this, the shifting member in conventional configurations is provided with a braking member for contacting the reel unit and braking the rotor. When the shifting member has been shifted into the contact position, the braking member contacts the front surface of the reel unit, and is compressed, thus braking the rotor. Elastically braking the rotor like this when tripping the bail makes it possible to prevent rotation of the rotor while providing for the possibility to rotate the rotor in the line-winding direction if necessary.
In this conventional configuration, the rotor is braked by bringing a braking member that is attached to the shifting member into contact with the reel unit and compressing it. Therefore, when the contact position of the shifting member varies with respect to the horizontal direction because of manufacturing or assembly errors, the compression amount of the braking member varies as well. When the compression amount varies, the braking force of the rotor changes, and the rotor cannot be reliably braked.
Now, it would seem to be possible to provide the braking member on the reel unit, and to shift the shifting member in a direction perpendicular to the compression direction of the braking member from the end of the braking member towards an outer lateral surface, thereby bringing the shifting member into contact with the braking member. Thus, it would be possible to brake the rotor in a reliable manner, regardless of variations in the shifting amount of the shifting member. However, when the shifting member in this configuration contacts the end portion of the braking member, it is difficult to shift the shifting member smoothly; when the shifting member cannot be shifted smoothly, then it becomes difficult to switch the bail arm smoothly from the line-winding posture to the line-releasing posture.
Also, in the above-described conventional configuration, when the toggle spring urges the bail arm back into the line-winding posture, the shaft member does not pivot and only the link pivots with respect to the shaft member. Therefore, the spring force direction of the coil spring is different from the direction in which the link pushes the bail arm. Consequently, the force transmitted from the shaft member via the link to the bail arm is smaller the larger the pivot angle of the link is, and the force with which the toggle spring restores the bail arm to the line-winding posture is weak. When the spring force of the coil spring is increased in order to prevent this, the force needed to trip the bail arm from the line-winding posture into the line-releasing posture increases, so that it becomes more difficult to trip the bail arm.
An object of the present invention is, in a spinning reel rotor braking device that enables the rotor to be braked when in the line-releasing posture, to enable the rotor to be braked stably regardless of fluctuations in the amount by which the shifting member shifts, and moreover to enable the shifting member to shift smoothly when it comes into contact with the braking member.
Another object of the invention is, in a bail tripping device having a rotor braking mechanism, to enable the urging force of the toggle spring to be transmitted efficiently to the bail arm.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, a spinning reel rotor braking device for braking a rotor, which is mounted rotatively to a reel unit of a spinning reel, in response to pivoting a bail arm, which can be pivoted to a line-winding posture and a line-releasing posture, includes a shifting member and an elastic braking member. The shifting member is disposed at the rotor and is shifted from inside the rotor toward the reel unit when the bail arm is pivoted from the line-winding posture to the line-releasing posture. The elastic braking member is provided at the reel unit and includes a braking surface that extends substantially in parallel to a shifting direction of the shifting member and contacts the shifting member when the bail arm is in the line-releasing posture, and a conducting surface arranged in continuation with the braking surface on the side facing the shifting member, the conducting surface being formed obliquely, with the side that is facing the shifting member receding further away from the shifting member than the side that is away from the shifting member.
In this rotor braking device, when the bail arm pivots from the line-winding posture to the line-releasing posture, then the shifting member contacts the braking surface on the side of the conducting surface and the rotor is braked. The conducting surface is arranged on the side of the braking surface that faces the shifting member, the side of the conducting surface facing the shifting member receding further away from the shifting member than the side that is away from the shifting member, and the braking surface extends substantially in parallel to the shifting direction of the shifting member, so that even when the shifting amount of the shifting member varies, the braking power stays the same and the rotor can be braked reliably, while the shifting member contacts the braking surface from the side of the conducting surface that is formed such that the guiding member contacts the braking surface in a smooth manner.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in a spinning reel rotor braking device as in the first aspect, the braking member is made of a substantially ring-shaped elastic material with rectangular cross section disposed at the front of the reel unit such that the braking member can contact the shifting member. This configuration enlarges the range of rotational positions of the rotor for which braking is possible.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in a spinning reel rotor braking device as in the first aspect, the braking surface is an even circumferential surface formed on the peripheral surface of the braking member, and the conducting surface is an oblique surface formed at the front of the braking surface, a diameter of the conducting surface gradually decreasing in frontward direction, and the shifting member has a front end interlocking with the bail arm, and a rear end that is shiftable back and forth, in response to a pivoting of the bail arm, between a first position in which the shifting member is away from the reel unit and which corresponds to the line-winding posture, and a second position in which the shifting member is close to the reel unit, contacting the braking surface beyond the conducting surface, and which corresponds to the line-releasing posture. When the bail arm in this configuration is pivoted from the line-winding posture to the line-releasing posture, the shifting member shifts from the first position to the second position, and contacts the braking surface from the conducting surface side. As the shifting member shifts, it contacts the braking surface, which is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the braking member, so that the shifting member has a simple configuration.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in a spinning reel rotor braking device as in the third aspect, the conducting surface is a tapered face shaped like a truncated cone whose diameter gradually decreases in frontward direction. With this configuration, the conducting surface has a simple shape, so that the conducting surface can be formed easily.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in a spinning reel rotor braking device as in the third aspects, the conducting surface is a rounded surface whose diameter gradually decreases in frontward direction. With this configuration, the conducting surface is rounded, so that when the shifting member is shifted and contacts first the conducting surface and then the braking surface, a smooth shifting motion and smooth switching between the bail arm positions is achieved.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in a spinning reel rotor braking device as in the third aspect, the front end of the shifting member is bent toward a vicinity of the pivoting center of the bail arm so as to be oriented substantially in parallel to the pivot axis, wherein the rear end of the shifting member is bent toward a rotation axis of the rotor, and between the front end and the rear end, the shifting member is arranged substantially in parallel to a rotation axis of the rotor, and the rear end is interlocked with the rotor and can be shifted back and forth, and the front end is interlocked with an engagement recess formed in the bail arm and can be shifted along a direction. With this configuration, the pivoting motion of the bail arm can be easily converted into a linear motion of the front end of the shifting member, simply by interlocking the bent front end portion of the shifting member with the bail arm, and interlocking the rear end portion such that it can shift back and forth.
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in a spinning reel rotor braking device as in the sixth aspect, the engagement recess is an arc-shaped groove formed along a pivot direction in the bail arm. With this configuration, the shifting member starts to shift when the bail arm is pivoted and the one end of the shifting member abuts against the distal end of the arc-shaped groove. Then, when the shifting member has been shifted, the toggle spring mechanism exerts a spring force on the bail arm and the bail arm is pivoted further, until the one end of the shifting member abuts against the proximal end of the groove. Thus, it is possible to let the bail arm pivot for a greater distance than the shifting member shifts.
According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in a spinning reel rotor braking device as in the sixth aspect, a rear end surface of the shifting member, which comes into contact with the braking surface, is rounded. In this configuration, the rear end surface of the shifting member, contacting the braking member, is rounded, so that when the shifting member is shifted and contacts the braking member or is separated from the braking member, a smooth shifting motion and smooth switching between the two positions is achieved.
According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, a spinning reel rotor braking device as in the third aspect further includes a toggle spring mechanism having a front end that is interlocked rotatively with the bail arm, the toggle spring mechanism toggling and biasing the bail arm into the line-winding posture and the line-releasing posture, and a tripping wedge disposed on the front of the reel unit, wherein, when the rotor rotates in line-winding direction, the tripping wedge contacts the protruding rear end of the shifting member in the second position and shifts the shifting member toward the first position. With this configuration, the spinning reel includes both a bail tripping device and a rotor braking device as structural elements, and a compact spinning reel is accomplished.
According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in a spinning reel rotor braking device as in the ninth aspect, the toggle spring mechanism has a front end that is interlocked rotatively with the bail arm at a position that is different from an interlocking position of the shifting member, the toggle spring mechanism toggles and biases the bail arm into the line-winding posture and the line-releasing posture, wherein the biasing direction changes depending on the pivoting of the bail arm.
With this device, when the bail arm is tripped from the line-winding posture to the line-releasing posture, the other end of the shifting member is shifted into the second position. Thus, after the toggle spring mechanism has been compressed to the dead point, it expands and urges the bail arm into the line-releasing posture. In this situation, when the rotor is rotated in the line-winding direction, the tripping wedge contacts the front end of the shifting member in the second position, and the shifting member is pushed into the first position. Thus, the bail arm is pivoted toward the line-winding posture. When the dead point of the toggle spring is passed, the toggle spring mechanism expands, and the bail arm is pushed into the line-winding posture. As a result, the bail arm trips into the line-releasing posture, in which it is held. During the pivoting into this line-winding posture, the direction of the spring force of the toggle spring mechanism changes depending on the pivoting of the bail arm. Because the spring force of the toggle spring mechanism changes depending on the pivoting of the bail arm when the bail arm is pivoted, the spring force of the toggle spring mechanism can be transmitted efficiently to the bail arm.
According to a eleventh aspect of the present invention, in a spinning reel rotor braking device as in the ninth or tenth aspect, the toggle spring mechanism comprises a shaft member having a first end interlocking with the bail arm, a guide member disposed pivotably with respect to the rotor, the shaft member being guided into and out of the guide member, and a spring member disposed in the guide member and urging the shaft member out of the guide member. With this configuration, when the bail arm pivots, the guide member of the toggle spring mechanism pivots together with the bail arm, so that the direction in which the bail arm is pressed changes depending on the pivoting of the bail arm, and the spring force of the coil spring is transmitted efficiently via the shaft member to the bail arm.
According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, in a spinning reel rotor braking device as in the ninth or tenth aspect, the toggle spring mechanism comprises a shaft member having a first end interlocking with the bail arm, and a spring member that is guided by the rotor and urges the shaft member in a certain direction, the spring member having a first end that is engaged with the shaft member and a second end that is engaged with the rotor. With this configuration, the configuration of the toggle spring mechanism is simplified, and the toggle spring mechanism can be made lighter.
According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, in a spinning reel rotor braking device as in the twelfth aspect, the spring force member is a coil spring disposed around the shaft member, a winding diameter of the end of the coil spring interlocking with the shaft member being smaller than the winding diameter at other positions. With this configuration, the winding diameter at one end of the coil spring is small and that at other positions is large, so that when this one end is interlocked with the shaft member, a large gap is provided between the shaft member and the coil spring. Therefore, the coil spring is not easily deformed when the shaft member changes its position inside the coil spring.
According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, a spinning reel rotor braking device as in the twelfth aspect further includes a sheet member made of a synthetic resin for guiding the spring force member, arranged between the spring force member and the rotor. With this configuration, the spring force member does not come in direct contact with the rotor, so that the rotor is not damaged when the spring force member extended and compressed. Thus, corrosion of the rotor can be prevented when the rotor is made of a relatively easily corroding metal, such as a magnesium alloy. Also, with a sheet member made of a synthetic resin, the spring force member can be easily extended and compressed.
According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, in a spinning reel bail rotor braking as in the ninth aspect, the braking member is D-shaped, leaving room in radial direction for the tripping wedge. With this configuration, the tripping wedge and the braking member can be both arc-shaped and arranged next to one another, and the other end of the shifting member can be made shorter.
According to an sixteenth aspect of the present invention, in a spinning reel rotor braking device as in the ninth aspect, the tripping wedge has a first oblique surface whose leading side with respect to a line-winding rotation of the rotor protrudes further from the front of the reel unit towards the rotor than its trailing side. With this configuration, when the rotor starts to rotate in the line-winding direction, the shifting member contacts the first oblique surface of the tripping wedge and is gradually pushed toward the rotor. This returns the bail arm to the line-winding posture. Here, with the first oblique surface, the bail arm can be restored smoothly to the line-winding posture more.
According to a seventeenth aspect of the present invention, in a spinning reel rotor braking device as in the sixteenth aspect, the tripping wedge further has a second oblique surface, formed in continuation with the protruding portion of the first oblique surface, the second oblique surface receding from the protruding portion of the first oblique surface towards the leading side with respect to the line-winding rotation of the rotor. With this configuration, a second oblique surface is provided, arranged at an angle to the first oblique surface, so that when the rotor is rotated in the direction rolling off line and the shifting member contacts the tripping wedge, the shifting member is smoothly guided to the tripping wedge by the second oblique surface, and is less easily damaged.
According to an eighteenth aspect of the present invention, in a spinning reel rotor braking device as in the sixteenth aspect, at least a portion of the oblique surfaces of the tripping wedge protrudes further toward the rotor than a portion where the braking member contacts the shifting member. With this configuration, even when a braking member is provided, the shifting member abuts reliably against the tripping wedge, and the bail arm is returned from the line-releasing posture to the line-winding posture.
According to a nineteenth aspect of the present invention, in a spinning reel rotor braking device as in the first aspect, the braking surface is an even ring-shaped surface formed on a front surface of the braking member, and the conducting surface is an oblique surface formed at on outer peripheral side of the braking surface, a diameter of the conducting surface gradually increasing in rearward direction, and the shifting member includes a coupling portion having a front end interlocking with the bail arm, the coupling portion being shiftable, in response to a pivoting of the bail arm, between a first position in which the coupling portion is away from the reel unit and which corresponds to the line-winding posture, and a second position in which the coupling portion is close to the reel unit and which corresponds to the line-releasing posture, and a shifting portion provided at the rotor and shifting in a radial direction when the coupling portion shifts between the first position and the second position, wherein, the shifting portion contacts the braking surface beyond the conducting surface when the coupling portion shifts the first position to the second position. With this configuration, the braking surface is formed at the front end surface of the braking member, so that it is easier to ensure a flat braking surface, and a more even braking force can be achieved.